13 Chapter 13: There Are Worse Things

I looked at him as he roughly shoved me inside his car. I gasped and tried to come out when he locked the door and managed to reach his side of the seat before I could come out.

"What are you doing?" I asked coldly — I was also scared.

He didn't spare me a glance and just drove, his eyes fixed on the damn road. I could swear that his driving was faster than I had imagined it to be… and it wasn't fun at all.

"I asked—"

"You lied to me!" He shouted as he pulled the car to a sudden stop after a little while, making me fall in the front. I controlled my posture and breathed heavily, trying to process his allegations.

"What? When?"

"You said you were meeting a female friend. He didn't look female to me!"

"I…" I sighed. "He showed up unannounced. I was meeting with Jazelle, the bar owner!"

"Well, she ain't the bar owner anymore, is she?" He came out of the car after completing his sentence and opened the door from my side, dragging me out.

"How do you know that?" I couldn't help but step back and question further.

"Because I was the one who bought it, you liar!" He pushed me against his car as soon as I got out and closed the door, growling in anger.

I couldn't reply to him because my breathing was disheveled. I was feeling extremely scared because I was all alone with him in a secluded and deserted area, with no idea of how bad his intentions could be.

"What… What do you want?" I managed to utter.

"I want you to freaking listen to me when I say something!"

"I do, don't I!?" I shouted back at him with tears threatening to leave my eyes. "I am doing everything you ask me to do. What else do you want from me!?"

He scoffed and came closer to my lips. When his lips were just a centimeter away from mine, I heard him: "You wanna know, baby?"

"Yeah," I managed to ignore his inappropriate remark and whispered.

"I want you to accept me as your husband. I own you and I am also the father to your child. It goes without saying that I should be your husband."

"That doesn't make a lick o' sense." I closed my eyes and tried to reason with him. "It doesn't give you any right to force me to accept you as my husband. It… just like being a father is more than what you think it is. So, try to make some sense."

"It makes all the sense in the world, baby." His hand went to my thigh and I took a deep breath. "It really does."

"Leave me alone. Please."

"You're going to beg for this, baby. It is just a matter of time."

I didn't reply to that and just stood in my position. Thoughts of Andrew clouded my brain again, and I couldn't help but ask my next question. "Is Andrew fine?"

"You don't need to worry about him."

"Why? I think I should worry about him more than ever because… you-you are a psychopath. Who knows when you'll explode?"

His breathing became ragged when I said that, making me instantly regret my words. Before I could say anything further, he took out something from his pocket. As he was too close to me, I couldn't see what it was… but I was sure that it wasn't a rose.

"W-What are you doing?" I whispered.

"What I should've done a while ago."

My shallow breathing was audible in the empty street. I looked at him blankly, scared to death, as he brought his hand closer to my face. When I finally saw what he held in his hand, my eyes widened, mortified by the sight.

"W-What are you doing!" I shouted but it was of no use. He had a knife in his hand — but it was more like a blade. Sharp, compact… and scary.

I tried to push him away with my whole strength but it was as if I was made of feathers. I couldn't even shake him.

He smirked when he saw my terrified state.

"As I said earlier, baby…" He spoke. "I like the fear in your eyes. I love it all so much."

I shivered under his cold gaze. He brought the knife closer to my face and I squinted my eyes, the tears continuously flowing down. I didn't know what to do. I felt so weak and helpless — I almost hated myself.

Then I felt it.

The piercing pain on the side of my face. My breathing became ragged and a scream left my mouth as I tried to push his hand away but he held me by my throat against the car. I couldn't move – hell, I couldn't breathe. I cried like hell.

It was so suffocating. Even emotionally. I couldn't escape. I wasn't meant to be a slave like this!

I didn't know if it was hours or just a few minutes, but when he finally stopped doing what he was doing, the excruciating pain didn't stop hurting me.

When I felt him going a little away, I fell down on my knees and covered my face with my hand. When I felt the blood on my left hand, I brought it down to the line of my sight and looked at the trembling fingers. I shuddered and looked at Xavier who was standing in front of me.

"Monster…" I whispered and found the strength in me draining.

He came closer and I saw his shoes in front of me, as I was sitting down. I didn't dare to look up because the pain was making me lose my consciousness. I didn't want to faint — only God knew what he would do if I were unconscious.

"Here's to hoping that you realise there are worse things," he whispered in his usual cold tone. "And if I ever hear you calling me that again, I will show them to you. Without a second thought, wifey."